Machine for upsetting links of sprocket-chains



No. 612,847. .Patented oct. 25, |898.

l c. HuLTs.

(Application filed June 19. 1897.)

(No Model.)

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l dNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I-IULTS, OF TORCH LAKE, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR UPSETTING LINKS OF SPROCKET-CHAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,847, dated October25, 1898.

Application filed June 19, 1897. Serial No. 641,499. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HUL'rs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Torch Lake, in the county of Antrim and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Machine for Upsetting the Links ofSprocket- Chains, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to machines for upsetting or shortening the linksof sprocketchains; and the object of the invention is to provide amachine of this character which shall be simple in construction,positive in its operation, and which may be so adjusted that the extentof the upsetting or shortening may be accurately predetermined. Thelinks will be upset or shortened without disconnecting them from eachother.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theseveral details of construction and combination of parts, as will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the machine, partly brokenaway, showing a link in position to be upset. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section. elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical transversesection.v Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section through the compressing-die andthe cam-shaft which actuates it. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thetesting-plug detached.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several gures.

1 indicates the main body portion of the machine, which will preferablybe a heavy plate and be provided with an integral flange 2 of lessthickness than the plate projecting from its rear side. This flange isprovided with suitable openings 3 for the passage of bolts or screws 4,by means of which it may be secured to a bench or other suitablesupport. The plate l is provided about midway its length with a recess 5in its upper face which extends transversely across it and the sides 6of which are parallel. The plate is also provided with a circular recess7 on one side of the recess 5, and this circular recess communicateswith the recess 5 by means of a passage 8. Near the other end of theplate 1 a recess 9 is formed, one side, 10, of which is parallel withthe sides of the recess 5, and

Fig.` 3 is a front` the other side, 1l, inclines inwardly'toward therear end of the machine. 2 indicates a recess extending longitudinallyof the machine between the recesses 5 and 9, and this recess is inalinement with the passage S. The bottoms of all of these recesses andof the passage 8 are level with the upper face of the Iiange 2. l

From the bottom of the plate l and about midway its width a ange 13projects downwardly, which ange has a central depending portion 14, inwhich a recess l5 is formed, for a purpose to be hereinafter referredto. Immediately below the circular recess 7 the flange is provided witha circular enlargement 16 and with a transverse slot 17 above theenlargement 16. Alining perforations are formed in the plate l centrallyof the circular recess 7 and of thecentral enlargement 16, and in theseopenings the shaft 18 is journaled. The lower end of this shaft isprovided with a lever 19, by means of which it may be rotated in itsbearings. Above the bottom of the circular recess 7 the shaft 18 isprovided on its periphery with a cam-surface 20, and the shoulder 2l,which is thereby formed on the shaft`l8,`rests on the bottom ofthecircnlar recess 7 and holds the shaft in its proper position.

` 22 indicates the compressing-die, which is provided at its rear endwith an enlarged annular portion 23, which is perforated to fit over thecam-surface 2O on the shaft 1S. The die 22 is seated in the circularrecess 7 and the passage 8, and it is obvious that as the shaft 18 isturned in its bearing the cam-surface 20 will cause the die toreciprocate. The shaft 18 projects above the cam-surface 20 and the die22 and is supported in a plate 24, which is secured to the plate l andholds the die 22against vertical movement. This plate 24 is providedwith a scale 25, and the upper end of the shaft 1S is provided with ahand or pointer 26. pointer will be referred to hereinafter.

In the recess 12 are seated two superposed dies 27, which are free tomove longitudinally in the said recess, and in the recess 9 a taperingwedge 2S is seated to engage the rear ends of the dies 27 for thepurpose of adjusting them into the desired position. Ordinarily onewedge will be suicient to operate both The function of the scale and IOOdies; but it may sometimes happen that one side of a link will besomewhat longer than the other, and in such event two wedges will haveto be used, one for each die 27 in order that one die may be adjustedslightly in advance of the other, so that when the final compressiontakes place the links will be shortened to dilferent extents in order tomake them of equal length. A removable plate 29 is secured to the platel over the dies 27 and wedges 28 to hold them in position againstvertical movement.

The plate l is provided near its front edge with a vertical rectangularopening 30, in which the head 31 of a bar 32 is adapted to work. Nearits lower end the bar 32 is pivoted between the spaced ears 33 of alever 34, and the front ends of the ears are adapted to be engaged inthe recess l5 in the ange 13 in order that the bar 32 may be given avertical reciprocating movement when necessary. The head 3l of the baris provided with a rectangular opening 35, extending in a directiontransversely of the machine, and on its inner face, just above theopening 35, with a short arm 36.

37 indicates a tapering plug, which is preferably rectangular incross-section, and on one face `of the plug a scale 38 is formed in anysuitable manner. The function of this plug is twofold, the rst being toascertain to what extent the link has become stretched in order that thecompressing-die may be adj usted to the proper position before the linkis placed between the dies, so that when the cam-surface has acted toits fullest extent upon the link the exact amount of upsetting orshortening will have been accomplished. In order to ascertain the extentof the stretching, the plug is inserted into the link as far as it willgo, and the scale will then indicate the amount of the stretching. Thescale on the plug will correspond with the scale 25 on the plate 24, andwhen the amount of stretching is ascertainedby the scale on the plug theshaft 18 will be turned until the pointer 26 is opposite the proper markon the scale, and this movement of the shaft will have caused thecam-surface 20 to partially act on the compressing-die and advance it aslight distance. This adjustment having been effected the link to-beupset will be placed in position against the operatingface of thecompressing-die and the dies 27 `will be forced tightly against theother end of the link by means of the wedge or wedges 28. to accomplishits second function, which is to beinserted through the opening 35 inthe head of the bar 32 and between the side plates of the link which isto be upset. The lever 34 is then operated to bring the arm 36 intoengagement with the upper side plate of the link, and by maintainingpressure on the lever the links will be prevented from kinking orbending upwardly when the compressingdie is being forced toward the dies27 in order rlhe tapering plug 37 will then be used to effect theupsetting or shortening of the link.

39 indicates a spring which is designed to return the dies 27 when thewedge 28 is removed. Set-screws 40 may be fitted in the plates 24 and 29to engage the respective dies in order to take up any lost motion whichmay occur through wear. The scale 25 on the plate 24 should beadjustably attached to the plate, and the pointer 26 should be adjustably connected to the shaft 18, in order that their positions may bechanged should it be necessay to do so through any wear of thecamsurface or any other imperfection in -the machine.

The links to be upset will be fed in between the dies from the rear sideof the machine, and the die-faces will be shaped to correspond with theparticular shape of the link to be compressed.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing fromV thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isl. The combination of dies, movable one relatively to theother, a support or clamp located between said dies substantially in theline of travel, and a presser-foot or plug movable toward and from saidsupport in a transverse direction to said line of travel, substantiallyas described.

2. In a machine for upsetting or shortening links of sprocket-chains,the combination of a pair of adjustable dies, a compressing-die adaptedto move toward or away from the adj ustable dies, a cam-shaft to actuatethe compressing-die, a clamping-bar to engage the upper side plate ofthe link, and a plug adapted to be removably inserted between the sideplates of the link, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for upsetting or shortening links of sprocket-chains,the combination of a supporting-plate, a pair of dies supported to slidein said plate, means to adjust and lock said dies in the desiredposition, a compressing-die supported to slide in said plate toward oraway from the other dies, a camshaft to actuate the compressing-die, abar vertically movable in the plate and provided with an opening in itshead, an arm on the head adapted to engage the upper side plate of thelink, and a plug adapted to be inserted through the said opening betweenthe side plates of the link, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for upsetting or shortening links of sprocket-chains,the combination of a supporting-plate, a pair of superposed diessupported to slide in said plate, a pair of VWedges to engage the rearends of the respective dies to independently adjust and lock them inposition, a compressing-die to coperate with the superposed dies, and aclamping device to engage the link and prevent kinking during theupsetting of the link, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

5. In a machine for upsetting or shortening links of sprocket-chains,the combination of a pair of adjustable dies, a compressing-die adaptedto move toward or away from the adjustable die, a cam-shaft to actuatethe compressing-die, a clamping-bar to engage the upper plate of thelink, a plug adapted to be removably inserted between the side plates ofthe link, said plug being provided With a scale to indicate the extentof the shortening required, a pointer on the cam-shaft, and a scale forthe pointer corresponding With that on the plug, whereby the initialposition of the compressing-die may be accurately adj usted,substantially as described.

6. In a machine for upsetting or shortening links of sprocket-chains,the combination of a supporting-plate, a pair of superposed diessupported to slide in said plate, a Wedge to engage the rear ends of thedies to adjust and lock them in position, a compressing-die to cooperatewith the superposed dies, a clamping device to engage the link andprevent kinking during the upsetting thereof, and a spring to return thesuperposed `dies When the Wedge is Withdrawn, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWnI have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES HULTS.

Witnesses:

ELIsHA PANGBORN, GEO. A. MCCARTNEY.

